Strip handling mechanism



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STRIP HANDLING nEcHANIsu 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTR. Wala/d y/e Sept. 19, 1950 Filed Jan. so, 1945 E. LYLE STRIP HANDLING uEcHANrsu Filed Jan. so, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 mk A' w 0 @if mL. I m w Filed Jan. 30.

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E. L. LYLE STRIP HANDLING IIECHANISI Sept. 19, 1950 5 ShoetsS'heet 5 Jan. 30, 1945 Filled NJTN INVENTOR. /azaf/ :d Z. y/f BY Patented Sept. 19, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STRIP HANDLING MECHANISM Edward Lafayette Lyle, Maryville, Tenn., assigner to Aluminum Company of America, Pittsburgh. Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 30, 1945, Serial No. 575,218

(CL 27h-2.1)

Claims.

This invention relates to the handling of metal strip'. Metal strip is commonly produced in long lengths, usually, but not necessarily, in coiled form. It is -citen desirable-to subject the metal strip thus produced to treatment or processing operations including for example, de-scaling operations, pickling operations, coating operations, thermal operations and the like in which the strip if coiled, must be uncoiled, but in which in any event the strip must be processed or treated in the uncoiled form and then either recoiled or subjected to further operations including for instance, further strip rolling or metal working opel-ations. The mechanisms which are the subject of this invention are particulally adapted to such4 purposes and consist essentially of a strip delivery station and a strip receiving station between which stations is disposed at least one treatment or processing station, and improved means in the form of a traveling draw head or carriage to advance the strip from the strip delivery station to the strip receiving station while gripping the leading end of the strip, thereby moving the strip through the treatment stations disposed in the path of travel of the draw head and finally delivering the forward end of the strip to the strip receiving station. It will be apparent that these various delivery, treatment and receiving stations may take many forms depending upon the particular operation involved. The specific example which has been chosen for the illustration of the invention amil which is disclosed in the drawings is an adaptation of the invention developed forthe-handling of aluminum strip after the heating treatment thereof and during cooling of the strip in Water and subsequent drying of the strip.

The invention may best be explained by a reference to the attached drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic representation, in plan View, of a portion of a strip handling mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic representation, in side elevation, of some of the portions of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Y

Fig. 3 is a section on an enlarged scale taken through Fig. 1, as indicated by the line 3 3, to show the special relation between certain of the parts thereof; A

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a preferred type of draw head or traveling carriage of Fig. 3 designed to cooperate with the parts diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of that side of the carriage which is at the bottom in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of that side of the traveling carriage which is at the top in Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a view, partially in section, taken as indicated by the line `I,'I on Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a view, partially in section, taken as indicated by the line 8-8 on Fig. 4; and

Fig. 9 is a view, partially in section, taken as indicated by the line 9-9 on Fig. 4.

Referring now to' the drawings in which like numerals designate like parts, and particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, thereof, the mechanism there schematically shown comprises a delivery reel or mandrel I5 mounted for rotation on arms II after the mandrel, and the coil of strip mounted thereon, have been removed from the heat treatment station I6. The receiving stationherein shown consists of the coller structure 22 comprising the rolls 26, driven by motor 21, which are adapted to receive the end of the strip and drive the strip through the three coller rolls 28 which are conventional and are so located with respect to one another that the strip passing therethrough is caused to coil into the loose coil 30 supported on the idler rollers 29 mounted on top of the coller structure. insofar as this invention is concerned,

however, the essential portions of the receiving station shown are the power driven rollers 26 and whether these rollers be for the purpose shown or for other purposes such as metal working, they form an instrumentality adapted to receive and further handle strip delivered to it. Disposed between the strip delivery station and the receiving station is the treatment station or tank II, in the specific device shown containing water for cooling the strip, and the station or tank I2, containing water for washing the str-ip to remove therefrom any contaminants that have not been removed at station II. A roller bed composed of free running rollers I3 is likewise disposed in the path of travel of the strip and it serves, together with the fans indicated at 94, as a station at which the strip may be dried as it passes thereover. The length of the roller bed is desirably proportioned to be approximately equal to the average length of strip being treated. Disposed between the strip delivery station and the strip receiving station and running past the treatment stations II and I2 and the roller bed I3, are the tracks I0 which deiine a path of travel for a self-powered draw head or carriage 9 hereinafter to b e described. Running parallel to tracks I0 are the railracks Il which cooperate with the mechanism of said draw head to provide positive means of Y driving the draw head along the tracks. In operation an end of the strip to be treated is drawn from the mandrel I5, gripped by the draw head or carriage and then pulled from said mandrel by the movement of the carriage over the treatment stations I I and I2 and on to the roller bed I3. During its passage over the treatment stations Il and I2 the strip I8 (represented by the lines so numbered in Fig. 2) is depressed into the st tions by contact rollers I9 mounted on swinging arms 26 and upon being so depressed the strip contacts the idler rollers 2| which rollers together with the contact rollers I9 define a path of travel for the strip through the stations, such path being indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 2.

Many of the improved features of the mechanism of this invention are embodied in the improved draw head or carriage which serves as the means by which the strip is advanced from the strip delivery station to the strip receiving station. A specific and preferred example of said draw head is illustrated in Figs. 3 to 9, inclusive. Features of the draw head of this invention include jaw members consisting of a pair of rolls for gripping the strip, means for opening and closing said rolls, means for controlling the closing movement of the rolls to prevent slippage of the strip in the rolls, means for centering the strip with respect to the rolls and driving means for rotating said rolls to advance the strip gripped therebetween in the direction of the draw head movement and consequently toward the strip receiving station. Associated with such rotating means are means for preventing rotation of said rolls in the opposite direction and means permitting overrunning of rolls with respect to the rotating means when the speed of the strip passing through said rolls exceeds the speed at which they are driven by the roll rotating means. Essentially, however, the illustrated draw head or carriage is a mechanism adapted to pull strip from the delivery station to present the strip in yuncoiled form to at least one treatment station and to finally deliver said strip to a receiving station preferably at a speed greater than the speed of travel of the draw head.

The elements of the carriage are mounted upon side frames 32 which are bolted or otherwise attached together by rear spacers 33 and front spacers 34. 23 on which are flxedly mounted double flanged The frames carry the axles 23 and carriage wheels 24 adapted to run on the rails I0. The axles rotate in bearings 24' (see Figs. 5, 7 and 8) set in the frame of the carriage. Pinions 25 are mounted on axle 23 and mesh with the railracks i4. Movement of the carriage along the rails I0 is caused by motor 35 which, acting through shaft H9, gear box 36 and shaft |20, drives axle 23 thereby causing the pinions 25 to operate on the railracks I4. A magnetic brake 43 is provided on an extension I2I of the shaft of the motor 35. The carriage comprises a strip handling bed preferably composed of the suitably mounted free running rollers 31 and apron plates 38 disposed between the rollers. A continuation of this roller bed is attached to the rear of the carriage (see Figs. 4 and 8) and forms a roller apron consisting of a frame 69 on which are mounted the apron rollers 48, this frame being hinged, as at |23, to the upper rear spacer 33 as shown, and being positioned to slope downwardly toward the roller bed I3 (see Fig. 5). A platform 4| upon which an operator may ride if desired, and which is adapted to carry electrical control instruments is likewise mounted on the frame of the carriage. A fixed grid 42 extending above the 'carriage rollers 31 prevents strip passing over those rollers from moving upwardly. Thus the roller bed 31 and the grid 42 define a controlled path for the movement of the strip through the carriage.

The rotatable jaws or pinch rolls .44 and 45 are mounted at the forward end of the carriage, and are adapted to be closed to grasp the strip to be driven so as to drive the strip rearwardly through the carriage, and to be opened to release the strip. Idler roll 46 is mounted on an extension of the carriage frame forwardly of the pinch rolls. Referring to Figs. 4 to 9, inclusive, it will be noted that if rolls 44 and 45 are open a metal strip may be passed through the carriage structure in the path defined by the roller bed 31 and the fixed grid 42 and will be supported during such passage by the idler roller 46, the roller bed 31 and, finally, the apron rollers 46 (see Figs. 8 and 9). This path is indicated by the line I8 in Fig. 5 which represents the metal strip. If the pinch rolls 44 and 45 are closed on the strip and then driven, the strip will be moved in this path and will be supported in the manner just described.

Referring now to the pinch rolls 44 and 45 and the manner in which they are mounted, opened, closed and driven, the opening and closing of these rolls is eected through two control shafts, the shaft 41 controlling the roll 44 and the shaft 48 controlling the roll 45. Each of the control shafts is rotatably mounted at each end in the bearing blocks 49. Fixed on one end of control shaft 41 is the arm 56 which is attached by pin 5I to the clevis 52 which is mounted at the upper end of a rod 53 which is adapted to be pushed outwardly or retracted by a conventional hydraulic cylinder 54 which is pivoted at 55 (see Figs. 6, 7 and 9). A motor 56 mounted on a platform 51 built above gear box 36 drives the pump 58 and furnishes hydraulic pressure to cylinder 54. A solenoid controlled four way hydraulic valve 59 governs the valving of the pressure in cylinder 54 thereby causing the rod 53 to move outwardly or to retract at predetermined intervals to rotate the control shaft 41. Fixed on the otherl end of shaft 41 is the pinion 66 which meshes with a segmental gear 6I xed on the corresponding end of shaft 48. Thus the movement of the arm 50 will rotate shaft 41 and through pinion 60 and segmental gear 6| the control shaft 48 will simultaneously be rotated in the opposite direction.

The lower pinch roll 45 is mounted on its control shaft 48 by the arms 62 which are fixed to the shaft 48 and which carry bearings in which roll 45 is mounted for rotation. The upper pinch roll 44 is mounted in bearings carried in the lever arms 63 which arms are rotatably mounted on the shaft 41. Fixed on the shaft 41 are the spring seat arms 64 which bear an extension |25 designed to t within the openings in the lever arms 63v and to form a seat for the spring 66. Screw bolts 61 mounted in the lever arms 63 and extending into the openings 65 thereof carry a complementary spring seat 68. Thus the turning of the shaft 41 counterclockwise will move the fixed arms 64 upwardly against spring 66. extending therethrough a rm yet yielding pressure to lever arm 63 which in turn will rotate on shaft 41 to force pinch roll 44 downwardly against the rising pinch roll 45 or the strip lying between rolls 44 and 45. The springs 66 are adjusted in tension by bolts 61 to insure that the yielding pressure ex- A erted by rolls 44 and 45 on the strip is sufprovided with a reduced portion which extends through one of the lever arms 63 (on which said I'roll is mounted for rotation), and this portion carries the fixed gear 15. The pinch roll 45 likewise has a reduced portion which extends throulh one of the arms 62 in which that roll is mounted for rotation. and that portion carries the fixed gear 16. A gear 11 rotatably mounted on shaft 41 meshes with the fixed gear 15 and also with a gear 18 rotatably mounted on shaft 48, which gear 18 likewise meshes with the flxed gear 16. Gear 11 also meshes with the gear 14 which is fixed on shaft 1I which shaft is rotatably mounted in bearings disposed in side frame 32 and is driven through clutch 13 and gear box` 12 by a motor 18 which is mounted on a platform 4| of the frame 3 2. The gear train thus formed and consisting of gears 14, 11, 18, 15 and 16 forms a means by which the pinch rolls 44 and 45 may be driven from shaft 1I, yet permits movement of the pinch rolls toward and away from each other.

The clutch 13 preferably is a conventional oneway or overrunning clutch providing a positive drive connection between the gear box 12 and the shaft 1I in one direction only. Thus, the motor 18 is operative to drive the pinch rolls 44, 45 to move the strip rearwardly relative to the carriage as desired. However, when the strip is received and being advanced by another instrumentality such as the driven element 26 of the receiving station at a rate which tends to rotate the pinch rolls faster than they are driven by the motor 18, mere overrunning occurs at the clutch, thereby eliminating resistance from the motor and gear box which otherwise would be present. Hence, the clutch 13 forms a means by which the shaft 1I in effect is disconnected from the gear box to enable rotation of the pinch rolls 44, 45 by the strip without reaction or drag from the motor and gear box.

A brake 18, spring set and magnetically released in'series with the motor 18, is provided to normally lock the pinch rolls against retrograde rotation under the back pull of the strip whenever the motor 18 is not operating.

The vertically disposed rollers 88, 88 are positioned on the sides of the roller bed of the carriage for movement toward and away from each other and form means by which the strip in the l carriage may be centered and guided. This centering mechanism includes racks 8|, 8|' each mounted for movement in a rackway 82. The rackways are fastened to the top of the front spacer 34 (see Figs. 4, 7 and 9). Vertical roller 88 is mounted on a bracket attached to rack 8|' and vertical roller 88 is similarly attached to rack. 8|. A pinio-n 83 is vertically mounted between and engages the racks. A double acting hydraulic cylinder 84 (positioned above motor 18), is actuated by a hydraulic control valve (not shown) similar to the valve 59 through suitable connections (not shown). This cylinder contains a piston whose piston rod 84 is operatively connected to rack 8| and when actuated will move that rack backwards or forwards in its rackway 82. Such movement is imparted through pinion 83 to rack 8|' causing simultaneous movement thereof in a direction opposite to the movement of rack 8|,

cally disposed rollers l88 and 88' toward or away from the center line of the roller bed, formed by rollers 31. of the carriage. In order to conveniently stop the closing movement of rollers 88 and 88' when the gap therebetween equals the width of the strip so that they will center the strip but will not continue in ltheir movement and cause buckling of the strip, an adjustable stop, such as indicated at 85, may be interposed in the path of either rack. The adjustable stop 85 shown in Fig. 4 is interposed in the path of rack 8| and is carried on a threaded screw arm 86 which passes through a nut 81 into the rotatably mounted tube 88. The nut 81 is fixed to said tube 88 and rotates therewith. A handwheel 88 is fixed to the tube 88 and forms a convenient means whereby the tube may be rotated by the operator to cause the threaded arm 86 to move the stop 85 into the desired position.

The operation of the above described draw head or carriage will now be described with relation to the other elements of the strip handling mechanism.

Assuming that the mandrel I5, bearing thereon a length of wound strip which has been treated in treatment station I8, is positioned for rotation in the mandrel arms I1, the carriage is now moved on the rails I8 into strip receiving position which, in the specic apparatus shown would be at or near those ends of the rails I8 which are near treatment station I6. In this position the forward end of the carriage is presented to the mandrel. Pinch rolls 44, 45 are in an opened position. The operator pulls an end of the strip from the mandrel I5 and passes it over the idler roll 46 thence into the carriage between the opened pinch rolls 44, 45 and on to the rollers 31 of the carriage roller bed. The operator may then actuate a hydraulic Valve governing pressure fiow to the hydraulic cylinder 84 to drive rack 8| to move the vertically disposed rollers 88, 88 toward the center of the carriage thereby centering the inserted strip with respect to the pinch rolls. This being accomplished the valve 59 is actuated to cause hydraulic cylinder 54 to close pinch rolls 44, 45 upon the strip in the manner and by the means above described.

The motor 18 is not now operating to drive the pinch rolls and consequently magnetic brake 18 locks the shaft of motor 18 and prevents rotation of pinch rolls 44, 45 against the pull on the strip thus gripped by the rolls exerted in a direction toward the mandrel I5. The pinch rolls when thus closed form jaw members, the movement of which will pull the strip from the mandrel I5.

The operator now starts movement of the carriage along the rails I8 by actuating motor 35 thus driving axle 23 and causing the pinions 25 to move on the railracks I4. Under this driving force the carriage proceedsalong the rails I8 unwinding the strip and passing it over treatment stations I I and I2 and thence over the rollers I3 and toward the coiler mechanism 22. During passage of the carriage over the treatment stations I I and I2 swinging arms 28 are raised. The raising and lowering of the arms 28 may be accomplished in any known manner. As the carriage passes beyond each treatment station the swinging arms 28 are operated to depress roller I8 against the strip thereby forcing the traveling strip through the tank or device which formsthe treatment station. As the carriage approaches the coller structure 22 the motor 18 is started by.

thereby causing relative movement of the vertithe operator to drive the rollers 44, 45 through clutch 13, shaft 1I, and the gear train 14, 11, 18, 15 and 16. Preferably the speed of motor 1ll is adjusted to drive the rolls 44, 45 at such speed` that the strip is pushed through the moving carriage and rearwardly thereof at a rate faster than the speed at which the carriage is approaching the coiler device 22. The end of the strip therefore reaches the driven rolls 26 of the coiler structure 22 prior to the time that the rear end. or apron, of the carriage `reaches that structure, Thus when the strip reaches the rollers 26 it automatically enters therebetweenand is forced by the action of said rollers through the coiler rolls 28 which, as above described, force the strip to wind into a coil 30 supportedv on the idler rollers 29.

Preferably the speed of the coiler motor 21 is adjusted to drive rollers 26 to move the strip at a greater linear speed than that `imparted to the strip by the pinch rolls 44, 45 and thus when the strip is caught in rollers 26 the clutch 13 allows the shaft 1I to overrun the drive from the gear box 12, thereby enabling the pinch rolls 44, 45 to be moved freely at the speed of the strip and thus in excess of that at which they are normally driven by the motor 16. As the carriage travels to a point close to the coiling mechanism 22, the operator energizes a magnetic brake 43 and also stops the motor 35 thereby bringing the carriage to a positive stop. At the same time or at any time after the strip is engaged by rollers 26 the motor 1i) is likewise stopped and hydraulic valve 59 is manipulated to actuate hydraulic cylinder 54 and open pinch' rolls 44, 45. The brake 43 is then cle-energized. The operator may thereafter reverse motor 35 and drive the carriage back to its original starting position to receive another strip from a mandrel I even While the strip is still being drawn throughthe carriage by the rollers 26.

During the time the strip is being moved relativeto the carriage either by the pinch rolls 44, 45 or the rollers 26, it is preferred to maintain the guide rollers 80, 80' in their inner strip guiding position. With light gauge strip it may be desirable to use guide rollersl 80, 80' only. After pinch rolls 44, 45 are opened, but in any event the trailing end of the strip clears them, these guide rollers are moved to their outer positions by reversing the control valve for the hydraulic cylinder 84 so that a succeeding strip may be freely entered between the side guides.

It will be noted that once the strip has been fed rearwardly of said carriage toward the coiler structure 22 and said strip has been engaged by the rolls 26, there is no further necessity for movement of the carriage. Since the rollers 26 then become the means by which the strip is being pulled past the treatment stations, over the rollers I3, and through the carriage, the carriage may therefore be stopped at .such-point in its movement where engagement of the strip by the rollers 26 occurs, and if it is desired at that time to return the carriage to its original starting place the pinch rolls 44, 45 are opened and motor 35 is reversed to return the carriage to receive another strip from a mandrel I5. However, it will be noted that in the particular mechanism herein illustrated and described the carriage cannot be returned to its starting position unless the swinging arms 20 have been again swung `ipwardly and out of the path of the returning carriage.

Thus this invention provides in combination with a source of strip and a ceiling mechanisml for recoiling said strip, an improved draw head or carriage, which operating between said strip source and said coiling structure. not only pulls the strip from th'e strip source but also contains a means for transferring the strip to the coiler while the draw head is still in motion, this means comprising a. set of rollers which operate to move the strip relative to the carriage while the carriage is in motion whereby delay in introducing the leading end of the strip to the receiving device is avoided.

While the draw head and the other parts of the assembly with which the draw head functions may be manually controlled by the operator it will occur to those skilled in the' art that much of the operation if not all of the operations, may

lby the provision of suitable electrical apparatus,

" be thoroughly automatic. For instance, referring 'ill to Fig. 1 there may be provided, in the specific apparatus there shown, the stationary contacts 3I which, when contacted with a collector shoe (not shown) mounted on the traveling carriage, will energize suitable solenoids to automatically cause movementof the swinging arms 2U at a proper time after the carriage has passed under said arms in its travel toward the coiler structure 22. In one preferred embodiment of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, the trip devices indicated at 90, 9i and 92 and 93 are provided along the course of the rails I0 4and so positioned as to actuate trip switches carried by the traveling carriage. Thus after the operator has started the carriage on its path toward the coiler structure 22 thetrip device positioned at 90 may operate to actuate a trip switch to automatically increase the speed of the carriage. On further movement the carriage may encounter a trip device at the position marked 9i, which will operate to trip a limit switch to start in motion the motor 10 and thereby the pinch rolls 44, 45, thus starting the action by which those pinch rolls drive the strip through and rearwardly of the carriage during the movementA of the carriage.

As the-carriage continues it may further encounter a suitably located trip device 92 which contacts another limit yswitch on the carriage causing the speed of the carriage to be reduced and finally, if desired, a trip device may be located at the position 93 to there actuate limit switches which will energize the magnetic brake 43, stop the motor 35, and therefore stop the carriage at a given point. These are merely exemplary of other arrangements which, de-

pending upon the specific embodiment of the. principles of this invention, maybe provided to'A automatically open the carriage pinch rolls at a given point or to reverse the direction of travel of said carriage or to otherwise automatically actuate the successive movements of the various instrumentalities.

It will likewise be apparent that the driven rolls 26 of the coiler structure 22 are merely representative of any set of instrumentalities. such'as for instance a rolling mill or other metal working device as will grasp the strip and push it in the direction of its travel.

The advantages of this invention in the rapid and positive handling of metal strip are appar--A ent from the above description. The strip is positively and quickly drawn from its source, passed through treatment stations and delivered to a coiler or a further work station without the use of large amounts of manual labor. The draw head or traveling carriage by which this operation is performed may be returned to receive another strip while work upon the previous strip is still in progress with the result that one or a relatively few operators may handle and maintain a continuous now of metal strip without substantial interruption.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A traveling draw head for strip material comprising a frame having wheels for movement along a track, a -pair of pinch rolls mounted transversely on said frame for swinging movement toward and away from each other, a power cylinder on said frame, operating connections between said cylinder and said pinch rolls by which said pinch rolls are actuated to grip the end of a strip placed therebetween, spring means included in said operating connections, means for adjusting said spring means for controlling the gripping pressure of said pinch rolls on said strip and a power source connected to said rolls and adapted to positively drive the same to advance strip held therebetween.

2. A traveling draw head for strip material comprising a frame having wheels for movement along a track, a pair of pinch rolls mounted transversely on said frame for swinging movement toward and away from each other, means y actuating said pinch rolls to grip the end of a strip inserted therebetween, upper and lower guide members disposed rearwardly of said pinch rolls for movement of the strip therebetween, a driving motor on said frame and power transmitting means connecting said motor with said pinch rolls for rotation of the latter at will in a direction to advance said strip between said `guide members during movement of said draw head along said track so that the leading end of said strip is projected beyond said draw head.

3. A traveling draw head for strip material comprising a frame having wheels for movement along a track, a pair of pinch rolls mounted transversely on said frame for swinging movement toward and away from each other. means actuating said pinch rolls to grip the end of a strip inserted therebetween, upper and lower guide members disposed rearwardly of said pinch rolls for movement of the strip therebetween, a driving motor on said frame and power transmitting means connecting said motor with said pinch rolls for rotation of the latter at will in a direction to advance said strip between said guide members and into projecting relation beyond said draw head for reception of the strip end between driven strip receiving rollers, said power transmitting means including a one-way clutch whereby said pinch rolls are adapted to overrun the drive from said motor runder pull oi' 10 the strip exerted by said strip receiving rolls. 4. In a `strip treating system of the character described including a strip delivery station and a strip receiving station, said `stations being aligned and spaced apart, means dening a straight line path from said strip delivery station to said strip receiving station, power driven strip gripping means operable along said path and including means for gripping the end of said strip at said delivery station, a treating tank intermediate said delivery and said receiving stations and disposed directly below thefpath of travel of said strip gripping means and a strip deflector disposed above said path of travel and above said tank and movable downwardly across said path of travel to depress the strip into said tank after said gripping means has moved along said path to a point beyond said tank.

5. In a strip treating system of the character described, the combination comprising a plurality of aligned strip processing stations, a straight track comprising laterally spaced rails extending from the first of said stations and over a tank station to a final station, a railrack paralleling said track, a draw head supported on said track and comprising a power driven gear meshed with said railrack for positive movement of said draw head along said track, means rotatably supporting the strip in coil form at said iirst station. gripping means on said draw head for gripping the end of said coiled strip and holding the end thereof while said draw head is moved from said first station to said nal station and over said tank station, and a deector mounted in vertically spaced' relation to said rails and movable downwardly therebetween to deflect strip passing'over said tank station into said tank after the passage of the draw head beyond said tank station.

EDWARD LAFAYETTE LYLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,957,050 McKinley May 1, 1934 1,996,204 Ingram Apr. 2, 1935 2,094,566 Yancey Sept. 28, 1937 2,170,289 Klingler Aug. 22, 1939 2,218,809 Calkins et al Oct. 22. 1940 y2,238,667 Wales Apr. 4, 1941 2,277,319 Greenberger Mar. 24, 1942 2,348,456 Dickerman May 9, 1944 

